On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:25:02 -0500, Bob Flumere >
wrote:

>On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:43:05 -0600, > wrote:
>
>>
>>"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
ing.com...
>>> The points 'do' arc out and burn in those regulators or you wouldn't
>>> need new ones.... I was always under the impression you needed the
>>> condenser to slow this down.
>>
>>You're right, Mike. The condensor is there to stop RFI but it does it by
>>stopping the sparking, which is an interrupted DC. Just like the condensor
>>used to do on points, it provides a low impedance path for high frequency
>>AC or interrupted DC.
>>
>>While an electromechanical regulator might not be a critical to spark damage
>>as ignition points were, the principle is similar.
>>
>To the OP.. you do NOT need this cap.....
>It is NOT a functional part of the charging system in any way...
>It is only a high frequency bypass to ground for radio noise
>suppression.
>
>Its purpose and connection into the circuit in this application does
>not affect nor control the arcing at the voltage control contacts...
>
>Having this cap in the circuit (or not) will not damage the regulator
>or affect the charging system in any way.
>
>The capacitor on the GM Delco voltage regulator is ONLY for RFI
>suppression.. it is not in the "Field" circuit where the altenator
>field (rotor) contacts are located.
>
>In the days of generator (as opposed to "alternator" charging systems,
>mis-connecting the RFI capacitor to the field terminal of the
>generator (an easy mistake to make in the day) would CAUSE a failure
>of the voltage control contacts in the regulator!!
>The cap in this particular application was mounted on the generator
>case, and designed to be connected to the generator "Armature"
>terminal which was in fact the current output terminal.
>
>GM DELCO used to put a big round red cardboard warning tag on the
>"field" terminal of the generators telling you NOT to connect the
>capacitor wire to this (field) terminal!
>In this instance, the capacitor was being used to suppress the RFI
>from the arcing at the generator brushes which would be heard as a
>"whine" on an AM radio..
>
>Of course these two connection terminals were located side by side on
>the generator case, and only a few of us could read the big red tag.
>So when this mistake was made the voltage regulator failure would
>occur within a couple hundred miles. <BG>
>
>These uses are NOT related to the use of a capacitor in "Point +
>Condenser ignition system, where the cap serves an entirely
>different function in the creation of the High Voltage spark and
>in fact does absorb the arc at the contacts that is created
>by the collapse of the field in the primary of the ignition coil on
>the "break" of the contacts.
>
>Again, I repeat, this capacitor on the Delco Altenator regulator base
>is NOT involved in the charging circuit in any way, and only exists to
>suppress the RFI generated by the arcing at the vr contacts...
>If you look at the back of the regulator base, you will see that the
>capacitor terminal is merely an extension of the "B" or Battery
>terminal lug. The capacitor from there to ground suppresses any
> HF RFI that might be generated from reaching the rest of the car's
>electrical system and thence being heard as a "popping" type of
>static on an AM radio..
>
>Feel free to ask for more technical explanation an any time.
>School is out fo now .. there will be a quiz later <G>
>
>
>
>Bob F.

You are correct. You beat me to it. Seems like there are a lot of
people out there equating this condensor to condensor as in "points
and condensor." WRONG!!

Don
www.donsautomotive.com